Compagnie Finzi Pasca's La Verita, Circus Oz's But Wait There's More, Casus Circus' Tolu and Knee Deep, and Circa's What Could Have Been. It has been a great January in Sydney for circus and physical theatre but it was the beauty and originality of La Verita that stole my heart. Finzi Pasca, and that indefinable je ne sais quoi of European circus, has once again taken my breath and replaced it with pure joy. Apart from the aesthetic brilliance of the show (the costumes and props inspired by Salvadore Dali's art were incredible), the flow, the journey and the skill level were supremely impressive. As much as I love and support Australian Circus, I can't help but notice the somewhat repetitive themes and tendencies infiltrating Australian shows. It is undoubtable that our Aussie artists are highly skilled and talented, however after Gravity and Other Myths' performance of A Simple Space at last year's festival (which was mind-blowing btw), I feel like Im watching attempts at the same rawness, simplicity and stage dynamic, but something is missing. I hate writing that as I know I could never personally achieve some of the physical feats demonstrated by these amazing performers. But simply as an observation, if homegrown shows could capture the magic and whimsy of our European counterparts, Australian circus, with our charismatic artists and great stories to tell, would be taken to the next level.in contemplation...​Danielle :-)

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Danielle has been practising and teaching physical theatre, drama and circus skills for over 15 years. She is a qualified secondary drama teacher with a Bachelor of International Creative Arts and she is a mother to two crazy boys.An avid acrobalancer and hula hooper, Danielle ran away to a UK circus in 2003 and has been living a circus ever since.